I Could Walk Forever
by danielleaudra
Summary: Fifty years may seem like an eternity to some but to an immortal, that span of time passes in the blink of an eye. When confronted by the woman who denied him, Sesshoumaru must make a decision that will change everything. Sess x OC
1. Umi

**DISCLAIMER: I do not own InuYasha *sigh* but the story is completely mine.**

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**I COULD WALK FOREVER**  
**- Umi -**

All around the snow was melting, leaving patches of muddy earth visible for all to see. The trees were still bare but there was no doubt that the seasons had begun to shift. It had been a cruel Winter; its sickly grasp had stolen away the health and well-being of the human villages. Demons, too, had believed it wise to remain inside the warmth and comfort of their homes, sheltered from the miserable cold.

But not this demon. No, instead the lone creature wandered the country, having been refused lodging time and time again, village after village. She looked mortal enough but something about her presence seemed to spook the humans. Even now, as the kindness of a new Spring began to lift its head from a long Winter's nap, the demon did not waver in her search. She walked slowly, with a purpose. It had been a long time since she had stopped o rest. Maybe it was the demonic blood flowing through her veins that kept her going for days at a time; perhaps it was sheer determination. One thing was for certain: this creature would stop at nothing.

* * * * *

I could feel the snow crunching beneath my bare feet, giving into my weight and melting into the ground. I pulled my thin cloak around me more snugly, exhaling a puff of breath. It formed a thin wisp of a cloud in front of my face. I raised my hand and watched as the brisk air danced around my fingers. A small smile formed itself upon my cold lips. How I took pleasure in the simple things in my incredibly long life. I had been traveling for weeks, hunger nor fatigue getting in my way. My destination was the West, the land of my origin. I knew not what I would find there, only what I hoped would still be waiting.

All around me I could sense the roots of plant life beginning to stir after long lying dormant. I could hear the heartbeats of woodland creatures pick up in pace as they began to wake. Above it all I could smell sickness and death. It was in my nature to be drawn to such things. They played into my very existence. Yes, I am indeed a demon, but I have a very soft spot in my heart for mortals. My own dearly beloved father was human. Unlike myself, he had long since departed from this world and into the next. Sometimes I still wept at the thought of him. How human of me.

I slowed my pace, coming to a halt. I breathed in deeply, taking in all that was around me. There was a small village up ahead and a significantly larger one to the North; I would avoid them both. There was something else quite close by that I wished to investigate. Deep in the woods to the South I sensed a peculiar presence, one I had not come across in over fifty years. Leaning over, I scooped up a handful of snow and held it between my palms. I breathed into it, willing the tiny crystals to melt until there was nothing but a pool of liquid in my hands. I closed my eyes, muttering the words I knew would give me what I wanted. They flowed off of my tongue as easily as my own name. When I lifted my lids, a picture had formed in the water.

_It's him_. A smile was once again present on my pale face. He stood much taller than the last time I had seen him and even then he had towered over me; I had been such a tiny thing. He no longer wore his hair in a single plait down his back, the traditional style of one in training. Instead the long, silver tresses were loose to fall all around him, billowing majestically as he walked. His attire suggested that of a lord, a fate I had long since known would befall him. A gasp almost escaped my throat as my eyes beheld the beauty of his ethereal face. The distinguishing marks on his forehead and cheeks had become more defined. The bone structure remained the same but had hardened with age, now seeming almost cold in its resolve. But his eyes… His eyes had remained exactly as I remembered them, the warm shade of topaz as unreadable as ever.

I tilted my hands away fro me, allowing the water to pour out and turn back into snow before falling to the ground. _Still so beautiful_… The wind picked up as I headed South, pushing against me, forcing me back. A bad omen? I would ignore it. My mission could be delayed for a day or two. I brushed the hair from my eyes, muttering a single word, "Sesshoumaru."

* * * * *

I came across a small hut not long after making my entrance into the woods. I wouldn't have paid it any mind if I had not caught the scent of the inhabitant within. As I approached the small shelter, the smell became more defined. There was an old man inside, perhaps a farmer. He was alone and had been for sometime, the scent of a woman almost completely having faded away from the place. I could smell medicinal herbs and powders in the air. My senses had been correct; this man was very sick. I reached into my cloak and pulled out a small velvet pouch. Undoing the cord around the opening, I stuck two fingers in and pulled out a single strand of long, black hair.

It had belonged to a young woman I had crossed paths with almost a week ago, the poor thing dying from a disease no one could name. She had been most unwilling to accept my help, my appearance discomforting her. That was something I never understood, I looked enough like everyone else. My father had said that it was my eyes that caused everyone to be wary of me; that they were a unique gift most people just couldn't appreciate. After soothing words and much explanation on my part, she had at last given in to my will, allowing me to ease her passing into the Netherworld. I had taken a strand of her hair merely as a tool to be used as often as I needed it. This was one of those times.

I pressed the hair to my forehead, muttering a spell under my breath. Instantly my body began to shift. I could feel my bones quivering, my skin stretching and molding me into my new body. I bowed my head forward, watching as my hair darkened, becoming straight and thin. A surge shook my now frail body and I knew the transformation was complete. I pulled my ill-fitting clothes around me, shivering at the cold that affected my now human body. I was shaking so severely it was hard to move from my spot. I walked slowly toward the hut. There was no doubt the old man would take pity on me in this form.

I knocked on the soft wood of the doorway. I could hear him shuffling around inside, though not as acutely as I longed to. A balding head poked out from behind the flap that served as a door. The old man gasped when he saw me; no doubt my sickly appearance had startled him. "Yes?"

"Excuse me, kind Sir, I seem to have gotten myself lost. Please, can you take me in for the night?" I hoped the innocence of my words would be enough. They were.

"Of course! You poor thing," The old man let out a cough that rattled his entire body. "Come inside, I'll put on some tea." I followed him and sat down beside a small table in the center of the room. The hut was very small but modest and clean. There was a pallet laid out on the opposite end near the rusty stove. Next to it was spot on the floor where another mat must have laid previously, the wood around it dark, forming a perfect rectangle shape. It was clearly the spot where his wife would have laid. _This poor man_. I could not help but to feel compassion for his loss. I had never felt what it was like to loose a lover, yet I had experienced it through others.

"How long have you been traveling, young miss?" The old man sat down opposite me, pouring a steaming liquid into twin cups. He slid one across the table to me. It smelt harsh and chalky. I raised the cup to my lips with no intention of drinking, flinching, pretending the tea was too hot. The old man smiled at me kindly. "You must forgive the taste. It's a special mix of herbs from the doctor in the next village. He said it will warm the chill in my old bones. I thought you could use it, too."

"Thank you, elder." I took another sweeping glance of the room, cursing my weak human eyes. There was a thin coat of dust on the floor. _No recent visitors_. There was a basket filled with herbs next to an open cupboard. There was enough food stocked to support one person for quite some time. _They won't be curious if he doesn't show up to the village for a while_. Another string of forceful coughs erupted from the man, who was looking frailer the longer I sat in front of him. _Maybe they won't be surprised to never see him again_. I stood up and crossed over to him, pulling off my cloak and wrapping it around his shoulders.

"You're very sick."

He looked at me and nodded slowly. "I'm afraid so, my dear. But don't fret. These old bones have enough left in them to make sure you're taken care of for the night." With another genuine smile, the old man turned from me and began to sip his tea.

"How would you like to die?" The man nearly spit out the contents of his mouth all over the table.

"Excuse me?" He stared at me incredulously. I could see the beginning of fear forming in his small eyes.

"I asked how you would like to die. I could help you if you'd like." The old man stood up quicker than I thought possible of him, his cup flying from his hand and shattering on the floor. He was breathing heavily now. I was beginning to let go of my façade and return to my true form; I'd learned in the past that a slow transition from one to the other is much less frightening. As my powers returned to me I could hear the fluid in his lungs. He didn't have much time left, a few days at most, and his passing would be agonizing. He was destined to die choking on his own blood. I would not allow such a thing.

My body had almost completed its transformation when the old man screamed. It only lasted for a second, the coughing taking over. I rushed to his side for support but he pushed me away. "Demon!" he choked out.

I backed away from him slowly, both of my arms raised in submission. "Yes, I am a demon, but I will not harm you." He shook his head, still coughing violently. He was pointing at me, trying desperately to mouth words that would never be heard, not even by me. The coughing fit exhausting him, the old man fell limply into a heap on the floor. I was on him in an instant, lifting him into my arms as if he were a small child and gently setting him down on his pallet, wrapping a blanket around him. I moved from him and set to work. I snuffed out the fire and sealed the windows and door with a simple enchantment. I grabbed an empty cup from one of the shelves and filled it with water from a bucket by the window. I sighed gratefully as I knelt by the old man; it had been a long time since I'd had everything so readily available.

I lay the back of my hand on the old man's forehead, feeling the sickness in his blood, the coldness of death slowly taking over his body. Yes, it was his time. I whispered a word of awakening and felt the man shift beside me. When, if, he opened his eyes it would be too dark for him to see. It was better this way. "Old man, you are dying."

The old man did something very strange. He did not struggle under my touch or try to run away like so many others; instead he began to cry. "Please do not devour me, demon. I beg of you, leave my soul to pass on!" His body shook with a mixture of coughing and dry sobs.

"I do not wish to hurt you, human, but to help you. If I leave now, you will no doubt die a painful death. I wish to make your journey into the next world a smooth one."

"I- I don't understand… Why?"

I smiled in the dark. "There was someone I could not save, once." The memory came flooding back to me. It was so much a night like this one. I could feel the emotion welling up inside of me and pushed it away. I could not express myself now, not in present company.

"I – I don't-" The old man was sputtering in his confusion. I laid a hand on his chest, soothing him, willing him to relax. I pulled a pouch from my pocket, different from the first. I reached in and pinched my fingers together, pulling out just enough of my own make of poisonous powder. After adding it to the cup of water I lifted it close to my mouth, blowing gently until the cold liquid began to simmer, a thin steam rising into the air.

"Here, this will make you sleep," I helped the old man to drink the concoction and lay him back down. It did not take long for his heart to slow and then cease to beat at all. I pressed my hands together and said a simple prayer for his safe passing into the Netherworld. I pulled the blanket up and over his body. As I let it fall, hiding his peaceful face from the world, a tear escaped from within and slid down my cheek. This man had reminded me so much of…

_Papa_.

I couldn't help it any longer. I put my head in my hands as the tears began to fall. My body shook with sobs. Any other demon would be disgraced at my very presence, reduced to such a pathetic display of emotion. Yet I couldn't help it. Try as I might I could not let go and become cold and ruthless like was expected of me. I had been brought up by a human and had therefore learned that emotions weren't something to be ashamed of. It had been difficult to contain myself earlier when the old man had shown me so much compassion, smiled at me so kindly. There was much in common between this man whose name I did not know and the man who had raised me.

Standing, I wiped my face and picked up my cloak, swinging it over my shoulders. I released the charms I had placed on the hut and, with one last look and a smile for the sweet old man, I set out for the South.

* * * * *

A cold rain fell all around me, the steady sound soothing my racing thoughts into a quiet lull. I made no attempt to shelter myself, letting the chilling liquid seep into my clothes, soak my hair and skin. I loved the rain. It was as much a part of me as the nose on my face. My body seemed to melt away wherever a droplet landed, my very being content in the numbness. I shook my head, watching as my hair formed a curtain around me, sending beads of water flying all over. I threw my hands up and raised my face to the gray sky. I began to twirl, letting go of everything that had been plaguing me for so long. A laugh escaped my lips, one I did not know I had been holding in. I stood still, breathing in the world around me.

I picked up the scent of something miraculous just up ahead. I took off in its direction, running at my full potential. My hair was whipped back by the wind, lashing out behind me. I held out my hands, pushing away low branches. I jumped over a clump of bushes in one swift motion. I let my senses take over and lead me to my hearts desire. I came to an abrupt halt at the edge of the woods. It let out into a clearing, the cold ground almost completely bare of any lingering snow. My heart pounded in my chest as a smile filled with childish wonder spread across my face, lighting it up for the first time in weeks.

There before me, only a few yards away, was the closet thing to a perfect sight I had seen in ages. The thin layer of ice had melted, leaving chunks to float along the surface. It was the color of a Spring sky, running cool and clean over the smooth rocks below it. I took a step forward, my arm stretched out, palm out; reaching for it as if I were in a dream. My feet carried me to its bank. I succumbed to its call, falling to my knees and supporting myself with my hands, surrounded by its icy touch. A river. I sighed contently, almost wanting to cry in happiness. Without water, my talents were almost useless. I had resorted to my ability to shape shift to get me through the long season but now that Spring was here, I would become quite powerful once again.

I glanced down at my reflection. My normally dark brown hair appeared to be black, plastered to the sides of my face with wetness. I had none of the distinguishing marks on my face that most other demons of my caliber would. I looked perfectly human, yet it was my eyes that would forever set me apart from the mortal species. My left eye was the color of jade, the right one more comparable to seaweed. My father had always told me that I had once eye from each of my parents. This knowledge had disheartened me as much when I was a child as it did now; his eyes had been brown.

I let myself sink into the shallow end of the river, feeling the water race over me, becoming absorbed into my body. I didn't notice the set of golden eyes observing me. I raised myself to my knees and scooped up enough water to fill my palm. Using both hands, I began to mold the liquid, shaping it into a sphere. I held the now solid mass close to my chest, pulling my hands away and watching as it remained stationary. I then shot my arms out in front of me. The sphere went flying, crashing through trees as if it had been made of stone. I smiled triumphantly. I stood up and kicked at the river, sending hundreds of droplets spraying into the air. With a wave of my arm I sent the droplets soaring into the forest, the beads hardening and turning into shards of crystal, cutting through everything in their path. I threw my head back and laughed. It felt so good to be whole again. Being surrounded by water had always pacified me for one well-known reason: I'm made of it.

My name is Amaya and I am the Sea.

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**Well, there's chapter one. I hope it wasn't too much of a drag, it was mostly written as a simple introduction to a very complicated character. I'll try to have the next one out ASAP.**

**And for those of you who are reading my LODT fanfic, I'll have the next chapter out within a few days. It'll be worth the wait!**

**Peace Easy,  
****Dee **


	2. Kokoro

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA, BUT IT'D BE COOL IF I DID (:**

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**I COULD WALK FOREVER**

**- Kokoro -**

A young girl sat on the edge of the riverbank, dangling her toes in the icy water. Her coal black hair was in tangles around her face and shoulders, a short ponytail tied off at the top of her head. She kicked her legs and watched as the droplets rose into the air and fell all around her. She rolled up the hem of her orange-checkered kimono and shimmied further into the water, almost up to her knees. "Master Jaken, won't you join me?" The girl looked over her shoulder to the small campsite behind her. A fire was burning, crackling as it devoured the moist kindling. A green imp was seated beside the fire, a long staff in his clutches. He let out a low '_pheh_' and rolled his eyes. Beyond the site, a ways deeper into the forest, a two-headed dragon demon scrounged for a meal, settling on a newly sprouted patch of crabgrass.

The morning was chilly, yet the girl continued to play in the river. A particularly large splash sent a wave of water rushing toward her, soaking the front of her kimono. She wiped the wetness from her eyes and cheeks. In one swift movement she was on her feet, holding up the skirt of her kimono over her knees, standing completely still as the water rushed over her legs. The imp looked over at the sudden decrease in noise. The little girl was concentrating on something in the water. She raised her right hand into the air slowly, followed by her left. Her skirt fell into the water and, soaked, wrapped itself around her tiny frame. Without hesitation, she dove into the river, causing the imp to screech out in terror. She broke through the surface seconds later, gasping for breath, a fish squirming in her hands. "Look, Master Jaken!" As she turned to the now purple-faced imp, the fish gave a great jolt and flew out of her grasp, diving back into the river below. "Oh no!" The girl began to chase after the fish.

"Rin, stop your foolishness this instant! You get out of there _right now_!!" Jaken was stomping his feet and waving his staff over his head. She didn't listen. She followed her intended lunch upstream where the water was less shallow. She froze in her tracks, letting the water around her grow still. Her legs were numb with cold. Jaken continued to reprimand her but she simply shushed him and kept to her task. After a moment of waiting her eyes lit up. There before her was the perfect fish. She raised her hands into the air, preparing to lunge, all the while watching the fish watching her. She didn't hesitate. For the second time, Rin dove into the water. She kicked her legs, arms extended in front of her. When she opened her eyes she could see the fish just in front of her, gray scales glistening. She gave the biggest kick she could muster, pushing herself forward and grasping it in her waiting hands. Victorious, she straightened her legs to push off of the bottom, but…

Where was it? Rin looked down to see only shadow. Fear struck her as she realized that she had gone out too far. She panicked; kicking her legs wildly, she struggled to reach the surface. She could see the sun just overhead, taunting her. She barely noticed that she was being carried downstream; her brain had zeroed in on the burning in her lungs. She released the fish for better use of her hands – it was no good. Rin's body grew stiff as the water around her grew dark. _Will I die?_ She saw Jaken in her mind's eye, followed by the stoic face of her beloved lord. There was another face, too, one she had never seen before. It belonged to a girl much older than herself but still very young, her dark hair floating around her face like a halo. Her eyes were the strangest colors that Rin had ever seen in both humans and demons alike. They were shining with a light that made her feel safe, even as she began her slow decent to the bottom of the river.

* * * * *

I smiled as I reached out for the girl, gently taking her in my arms. Holding her to me, I could feel her dangerously weak heartbeat as if it were my own. I swam smoothly upward and broke through the surface. There was an imp on the riverbank screaming at me to release the little girl, 'Rin' he called her, but I knew that I could not. I walked to the bank opposite the shrieking imp and set the girl down gently. She wasn't breathing; my instincts took over. I reached into my cloak, now heavy with water, and pulled out a tiny blue bead from one of my many hidden pockets. I tossed it into my mouth, reducing it to a fine powder and mixing it with my venom. I smoothed the hair back from the child's face, tilting her head back to open the passageway of her throat. The imp was still hurling meaningless threats in my direction. I did not want the girl to wake in such an atmosphere; she would be confused enough. I took hold of my hair and squeezed the water out, letting it drip onto my fingers. Without so much as a glance, I flicked my hand in the annoying imp's direction, taking a bit of vindictive pleasure in the sound of his surprised shrieks when the water droplets struck him, hot enough to burn.

I turned my attention to the unconscious child. I leaned over her small frame, cupping her face in my palms. Breathing out slowly, I directed the flow of my breath to her nose, a thick cloud of blue smoke gathering around her. It didn't take long for the rejuvenating supplement to work. She began to cough and sputter harshly, gasping for breath. I turned her gently onto her side and patted her back, aiding to expel the water from her lungs. Her heartbeat increased in rate and color flooded her cheeks. I breathed a sigh of relief, another human emotion. I reached out to pull the girl to her feet, flinching back when I heard her slurred words. "L-Lord Ssssesshoumaru?" My eyes widened before narrowing into skeptical slits. _Lord Sesshoumaru?_ It wasn't a common name; this human child must know him. I breathed in her scent. It was subtle, but it was indeed there. I looked over to the green imp who was still glaring at me though he remained silent. It was beginning to come together.

How had I not noticed it before? Now that my mind had cleared from the joys of the river and the urge to save the young girl, I could clearly sense him. His dominant scent was everywhere as if he were standing in the clearing himself, no doubt a useful tactic for keeping away unwanted demon visitors. It was incredible how powerful he had become over the years since we'd last met; I was in awe. He'd been so smug, so proud – I guess there had been reason for it after all. I glanced down at the girl to see her staring up at me with a mixture of fear and gratitude. No doubt she was wondering what I was. I was human in her eyes, but her mind was telling her otherwise. Regardless, I brushed my hand over her forehead; there was no fever, no hint of sickness. Therefore, nothing more could be done on my part for her.

I rose gracefully to my feet, never once taking my eyes from the child. She was a precious little thing, with her dark hair and sweet brown eyes. I couldn't help but smile at her, bringing confusion to her face. She, too, slowly stood to her full potential on wobbly legs, the top of her head barely reaching my navel. I held out a hand to steady her but she pulled away from my touch. Clumsily she made her way to the edge of the river. I could see her mind's workings clearly on her face – she didn't know how to get back. A warm feeling spread throughout my being; I was feeling incredibly gracious toward her. "Allow me," Without moving from my spot I swung my arm at the river, parting it smoothly and creating a clear path. She edged closer but did not dare step out further, wary that it could be a trap. I admired her self-preservation. "Go on," I reassured her, flashing a smile of pearly white fangs. Without a second glance, the girl took of sprinting across the muddy pass as fast as her legs would carry her, stopping only once she had reached the safety of the other side and was posted behind the imp. I had almost forgotten about him.

As I turned to leave, the green demon's voice was suddenly bombarding me with meek intimidation. "Go on, leave! And don't you even think about coming back here to try and eat poor Rin! I shall destroy you with the Staff of Two Heads! I will show no fear!" I turned on the creature so suddenly that he let out a strangled cry, proving that he was made of nothing but words, a fact I had already come to know. An unreasonable anger swirled within my chest. He didn't really think I would eat the girl? If he were truly Lord Sesshoumaru's companion, then surely he'd remember…

"Jaken, have I not told you before?" In a single bound I had crossed the river and landed before the baffled pair on the other side. "I will not be threatened by the likes of you, you miserable toad!" I stared down at him, my hands on my hips in the most juvenile of ways as my foot met with his puzzled expression, kicking him to the ground. He stuttered at a lack of words. His eyes were shifting back and forth, taking in my appearance, searching for an answer. I saw his eyes grow to the size moons as it all came flooding back to him, that single memory from long ago.

* * * * *

It had been a night of beauty, the country warm and still under the passive eye of Summer. The whole world seemed to have fallen into a peaceful slumber. I had been perched in a tree at the time, taking in the splendor that followed the setting of the sun. Darkness was all around me, yet I could see everything so clearly as if it had been the brightest of afternoons. The very way the grass twisted in the slight breeze seemed to capture and hold my attention. I was fully amazed by the tiniest details of life.

I had just begun my journey of unknown direction and had been left without a place to stay for the night in the human village, no doubt due to my uncanny ability to frighten all mortals I meet. My fate was one of solitude and I had yet to accept it. I had been on my own, a solitary nomad, since I was very young, even for demon standards. The entire world was my playground. I had nothing to fear, not death or disease, nor the natural process of aging. My time would be evermore stretched out before me, an open plain for endless adventures. My youth would be eternal, my body would grow stronger with the passing of each New Year; I had only to accept the fact that because of these wonderful curses, I would be forever alone. Everything I so dearly loved and cherished would wither away and die. The very world around me would change and I would remain always the same, untouched. Each Winter my heart would break at the sight of life being stolen away by cold, bitter hands. At the rise of every Spring it would begin to patch itself back together as life around me blossomed and flourished, but it would never truly heal before the cycle began anew.

I tired of being lonesome and sought out companionship amongst those I knew best. I would fit in for a short while, blending in amongst the crowd using an appearance I had stolen. The time spent pretending to belong was just enough for the humans to figure out that there was something wrong with me. No matter how convincing I played my role, they would always see me for what I truly am: a monster. In their eyes, all demons were to be feared and hated. It was crucial to their survival. So I would leave, no begging or making an unbecoming fuss of a departure. Though my body ached for the acceptance I would never receive, it was a bittersweet torture I would put myself through time and time again.

That was then and here I was, so entangled in my melancholy thoughts and futile desires that I hardly noticed when another presence surrounded me, one that seemed to haunt my very past. Nostalgia pulled me into its unforgiving embrace, reminding me of the happiness we had once shared; the bitter heartbreak felt the last time we had touched. I closed my eyes as the wind picked up, enrapturing me in the luxuriousness that was his aroma, both masculine and sweet. I could feel the heat radiating from him, the sheer power. I shiver ran up my spine as I imagined his startling eyes staring up at me, shining in the dark. A bitter smile slowly spread its way across my lips, distorting the delicate features of my face. It was a wicked trick for my mind to play, the cruelest of them all.

I leapt from my branch, high above the placid meadow and landed softly on the fresh grass below. My simple kimono fell around me, the silk flowing over my legs and bare feet as smooth as running water. The air was thick and mild. When I opened my pale lids I saw someone there before me. Stepping slowly toward him, I felt my heart quicken, my throat constrict. _Is it really…? No._ I stopped just in front of his intimidating figure, gazing up at a face I had once known so well. I breathed a sigh, astounded at the workings of my own imagination. "How great a gift to see your face," I raised a hand to caress his cheek, "if only in a dream." My fingers met with warm flesh, something I had not been expecting. I withdrew sharply, retreating from the same person which I had once sought comfort. My mind was racing, filling itself with old memories. In a strangled voice, I called out to him, "Sesshoumaru?"

His face gave way to no emotion. I stood before him in a daze, struggling to breath. He neither moved nor acknowledged me. He stood there as if carved from stone, staring at me with cold eyes. I managed to take a single step toward him, gauging his reaction. I could not tear my greedy eyes away from his beautiful face. He did not hold the same look of youth as when we had first met; he now seemed much more regal and consequently more striking. "Sesshoumaru," My tongue wrapped delicately over his name. "Do you… do you know who I am? It' s me, it's - "

"Amaya."

His voice sent chills through me. I shook my head, willing it to be my mind's eye. How is it that he could be here, now? My mouth spread wide into a childish grin, my fangs exposed. I thrilled laugh escaped me as I rushed into him, throwing my arms around his waist and hugging him to me. I laughed again when I realized my head barely reached his shoulders. "You've grown so tall, old friend," I could feel the hard muscles of his chest, his heart beating against my cheek. I blushed, thinking that this was most inappropriate of me; we were no longer children, after all. I pulled away from him only enough to tilt my head back and look up into his face. My smile quickly vanished. His glare was icy, watching me with the formality of a stranger. "Forgive me, it's just - "

"Why are you here?"

"What? I… I was - " Barely comprehending that I was still holding him, I left my arms to fall abashedly to my sides.

"I thought I had made myself clear." My mind was spinning. What was wrong here? Why was he acting so bitterly? It couldn't be…

"_Sesshoumaru, I can't…"_

"_So be it."_

A sharp intake of breath pierced my lungs as the memory unfolded in my mind. We had been so young.

"_Go away."_

"_But - "_

"_Never return here."_

I watched the scene as it played out before me and blurred as my eyes filled with tears. "Surely… that night… you hadn't been, you- you weren't…" I fought to find my words, all the while struggling to rid myself of emotion. I refused to cry in front of him. I could not let him see me so weak. Not anymore. I swallowed breath after breath, steeling myself against his penetrating glare. Feeling stronger, I met his eye once more. "I didn't think you were serious." My voice had cracked before I could finish my thought.

"I meant every word." His amber eyes flashed. "Now leave." With that he turned on his heel, making a graceful exit into the trees.

"Why should I?" I cried out desperately. "Who are you to make me go? You're not my lord!" My immaturity was embarrassing. I didn't care. He was almost gone from me, descending into shadow. "You're the one who's leaving. Are you afraid to face me?" I was alone but it didn't matter. My mind was racing, emotions flaring inside of me. I yelled louder, growing confident in the fact that I knew he could still hear me. "You said those words long ago out of spite! You were a furious adolescent and I never believed you, not for a moment. Is that it, still? The great, emotionless Lord Sesshoumaru is angry at the past?"

In an instant I was pinned up against a tree, my head snapping sharply back into the rough bark, feet hanging uselessly above the ground. Sesshoumaru was before me, his face inches from my own, eyes blazing. His hand was at my throat, claws glowing in a deadly shade of green. I latched my fingers onto his, trying to pry myself out of his iron grip. I could feel his poison slowly seeping its way into my skin and each time I kicked out to free myself he would merely flex his hand, tightening his hold. My mismatched eyes met with his fierce red ones. "Release me," My voice was small, barely audible.

"I should kill you for your words," His voice was little more than a growl. My first reaction was to laugh. How could he, my oldest and dearest friend, ever commit such an act? Looking deep into his eyes, I decided it would be most unwise for me to do. His sclerae were slowly fading from fiery red but the look on his face spoke volumes – he would do it. My heart pounded in my chest. I began struggling for breath in my panic. I tried to gulp down the fear that was rising in me. It was like seeing him for the first time; there was nothing left of my friend in the creature facing me. Awareness dawned and I let my hands fall from his. I allowed my body to go completely still. Dangling in front of him, like a prize on a string, I closed my eyes. The night was still. I could feel the static in the air pinching at my skin. Breathlessly, I awaited my fate.

"I'll die by your hand, Sesshoumaru, but only because it is yours." Then all I felt was pain. He was slowly closing his hand into a fist around my neck, his claws breaking and tearing my skin. He would snap my neck and it would be over. I choked out my last breath and squeezed my eyes shut, a single tear escaping against my will. _Sesshoumaru…_ And then I was falling, floating through the darkness.

My head connected with the ground, limbs splayed out around me. My hand went to my throat, feeling the wounds begin to heal, the poison dissipate. Air filled my lungs; I wasn't dead. I opened my eyes to see him standing over me in all his glory. He hadn't killed me. I pushed myself to my knees, sobbing in both gratitude and relief. I was still alive. Tears streamed down my face. I didn't have the strength to keep them locked up any longer. For the first time since I was a child I had been genuinely frightened, fearing that the very hand I used to hold would take my life away. "You're pathetic," his velvety voice was filled with disgust. As he turned away from me, I had nothing to say.

He was right. I was a wretched excuse for a demon, freely showing my emotions and associating myself with humans. I would never be of a high rank like Sesshoumaru, never be in control of an entire domain. I had been content in the life I led, but now I felt as if everything were insignificant; everything except for the demon slowly slipping into shadow, leaving me for the second time that night. A resentful smile tugged at my lips. I let my head fall forward, my heavy lids fall shut. "I love you," It was no more than a broken whisper caught in the wind. When I finally found my strength, I rose to my feet and stared at where he had been standing just a moment before. All I could think of was how much he had changed and how I had stayed the same.

Time escaped me. I could have remained in that very position for days and it wouldn't have mattered; he was gone. But that was not to be. Much, much too soon the silence that threatened to suffocate me was broken. A very insignificant presence came barreling into the meadow, shrieking something nonsensical. The screeching voice irritated me yet I could not tear my eyes away from the ground, the grass flattened where Sesshoumaru had stood. My tears had dried up, my resolve set. He would never affect me this way again. If I had to give up everything I believed in to make this true, then so be it.

The voice was still calling out into the night. "Lord Sesshoumaru! Where are you, me Lord?" I snapped my head sharply to the side, seeing at once a small green imp wielding a strange walking stick. My face hardened into a scowl, my body tense. _Lord Sesshoumaru_. At hearing his name, where once my knees would have gone weak, there was only a vile taste in my mouth. He was mumbling things about 'unwavering loyalty' and 'forever at his command.' I peered closely at the creature and saw that he looked dejected and lonely, everything I felt inside. I couldn't help feeling for this pathetic character; my heart was not yet the frozen stone I wanted it to be.

"He's not here," I called out, sending the imp into startled spasms. He searched the meadow until his gaze fell upon me. His demeanor became relaxed; did he not view me as a threat?

"You there, human! You've see Lord Sesshoumaru?" He was quizzical, wanting to believe my words would aid his search but wholly unsure if I were speaking the truth.

"Yes, I've seen him," I took a single step toward him, testing him. He shifted slightly but did not retreat. I saw him grip his walking stick tightly, my eyes never leaving his face. "But he's gone now." I took a few more steps until I was an arm's length away from the tiny thing.

He gulped visibly; surely he'd never been this close to a 'human' before. "Don't toy with me, human! Tell me where me Lord has gone at once!"

The imp was beginning to annoy me. How could he continue to blindly call me mortal when I stood so closely to him? "He didn't go anywhere," I bent my knees to come face to face with him. "Because I ate him!" I raised my hands above my head; curling the tips of my fingers as I they were claws and snapped my jaw shut, pulling back my lips to reveal pointed fangs. The action was childish but the imp's reaction was almost comical. He screamed and kicked out his legs, his mind urging him to escape but his body unwilling to respond. He was waving his stick around in the air, nearly hitting me in the face. I swiftly grabbed it from him and began to walk away before he realized what I had done.

"Hey, give that back!"

"What a peculiar walking sick…" Studying it, I saw that there were two heads carved onto the top, one of a maiden and the other of an old man. Their faces resembled those in slumber.

"That is not a walking stick! It's the Staff of Two Heads and it was bestowed upon me by the Great Lord Sesshoumaru!" _Humph, what's so great about an overconfident dog?_

"Well, what does it do?" I turned back to the imp only to whack him on the head several times with it. He whined in protest, trying to shield himself from my attacks. It was all in vain. I continued to poke and prod him with the Staff, finding myself quite amused at fooling with the irritated imp. I nudged him a few more times before throwing the Staff at him lazily. He caught it and scowled up at me. "What is your name, imp?"

He seemed to be fighting with himself whether or not to tell me. "I-i-it's Jaken, Ambassador to the Powerful Lo - "

"Yes, I know, the Great, Powerful, Fearless Lord Sesshoumaru… It sounds like quite the profession. But tell me something," I slid gracefully onto my knees once again. "If your job is so important to this Lord of yours, then why has he left you behind?" Jaken sputtered at my words. "If he truly valued your service, wouldn't you be by his side?" The imp grew quiet, his eyes downcast. From his response, I took it that this was not the first time he had been left to chase after his master. I reached out and patted him sympathetically on the head. Coming to his senses, Jaken swatted my hand away violently.

"How dare you try to make me think ill thoughts of me Lord! I shall destroy you, demon, with my Sta- hey! What are you doing?" I grabbed Jaken by the front of his robes and rose to my full height. "Put me down at once or I'll -"

"Or you'll what?" I glared at him, my voice a low growl. "You'll attempt to harm me with you're little stick?" He gulped, struggling to break free of my grasp. "Do you think I can be defeated so easily? My power is not to be misjudged!" I shook him as I spoke, my words falling off my tongue faster than my ears could catch them. "You are no threat to me, you slimy little toad. Just because your master is formidable indeed, do not allow yourself to think for one moment that you will be the death of me. I WILL NOT BE UNDONE!" I was shaking him harshly, his tongue lolling out of his mouth and his eyes rolling around in his head. The tables had turned and I was now the one in control; the situation gave me no pleasure. I was freely taking out my aggressions on the demon only because he had unknowingly, and unfortunately, stumbled upon me in a time of distress. I ceased at once, Jaken's body hanging limply with dizziness. With a last bout of anger I shouted, "He went that way!" and threw Jaken across the meadow in the direction Sesshoumaru had gone.

I heard his body collide with a tree and fall to the ground. He quickly scurried to his feet and took off blindly, leaving me alone with my rampant thoughts. My body ached, chest tight with uncertainty. All I wanted was to lie down and perish, to never have to walk this cruel world again. Everything I had known was gone. My plans and desires seemed dismal, a wasted effort. At that point I knew two things were certain: if I ever wished to be accepted by my own kind I would have to toss aside my greatest asset, my heart.

And I would loathe Sesshoumaru for the rest of my days.

* * * * *

I focused on the face of the little girl, the one who had stirred my heart. She was not exceptional, with her normal looks and plain attire, but she was different. The parts of me I fought so desperately to hide were being release, first by the old man and now by her. But something just didn't make sense. Why was she following Sesshoumaru? He had always hated humans and for a very specific reason. It was useless to try to figure his motives out. He was no longer the friend I had known and had not been for many long years.

A grumbling sound tore me from my reverie. I blinked, watching as the girl wrapped her arms around her thin frame, cheeks flushed in a pale pink. "Are you hungry?" My words shocked her, her eyes glued to the ground. "I won't hurt you, girl. I don't eat humans." Jaken made a snide sound in the back of his throat and I shot him a deadly look. He quickly took cover behind the girl. I turned my attention back to her, smiling softly. "I promise." She studied me closely, her brown eyes roaming my face. I remained perfectly still until she came to her conclusion.

Shuffling her feet, the girl nodded her head and let out a simple, "Uh-huh." I took that as the go ahead. I walked away from her, not stopping until I stood halfway out into the river.

"Would you like to see a trick?" I didn't wait for her answer. Holding my arms out straight in front of me, I slowly bent at the waist until my fingertips were just above the surface of the water. I slowly spread my fingers apart and then brought them together in a grabbing motion. Then I roughly pulled my hands into my chest, causing the water to pull back as if it were a curtain. Moving my hands in circular motions, the water was sent into torrents all around me. I heard the girl gasp in awe. In one last swift movement, I held my arms straight out at my sides and spun in a tight circle until I was facing the bank where she stood; I clapped my hands together, forming an arrow in her direction. I saw her eyes, along with Jaken's, light up when fish began to fall upon the shore.

"Look, Master Jaken!" She was all but dancing with delight. I made my way toward her, picking up a long stick and a rather plump fish. I ran the wood straight threw the middle of its belly, mouth first, and handed it to the girl. She smiled and ran to stick in into the ground by the fire. We continued this way, me sticking the fish and her running back and forth to place them, until there wasn't any room left beside the open flames. Rin sat curled up by the fire pit, her hands outstretched to the warmth. Jaken was slumped against the base of a nearby tree, continuing to stare and me and mutter under his breath. I stood for a moment longer and watched the scene before tuning away. I had only taken a few steps when I heard running. "Where are you going?" I saw the girl from the corner of my eye. She was a few paces behind me, her face curious.

_I don't know_, I told myself. "I'm going now. Just promise me you'll be more careful around the river," I reached out and ruffled her bangs. She flinched at the contact the same time I drew back. What was I doing? Surprised at my own action, I began to walk away.

"You can stay," I froze. I dared not turn around. "If you want to," I was certainly hearing things. Was this girl, this _human_ child, asking me not to leave? I turned my head just enough to see her out of the corner of me eye. There was not hint of sarcasm in her voice; her face was patient but eager. I cross the space between us and stopped, towering over her. I slowly lowered myself until I met her eye to eye. She did not scream and run away like I had expected. Relief spread through me and I smiled.

"Thank you." Her innocently warm smile met mine as she ran back to her place by the fire. Jaken was positively puce, his green skin having turned purple in frustration. I made sure to sit far enough away that I wouldn't feel even more of an urge to reach out and strike him. I curled my legs up into my chest and wrapped my arms around my knees. I breathed in the aroma of the almost-cooked fish, content in the silence that had fallen over the three of us.

_Us… I like that._

**

* * *

**

**Well, I have to say I owe this chapter mainly to MusicalSoul for giving me the motivation to actually finish it. Again, not a whole lot went down, but I'm trying to introduce everyone a little bit at a time. The next chappy will be out (hopefully) by the beginning of April. Please review, it makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!! Thanksabunch :D**

**PeaceEasy,  
****Dee**


	3. Kumo

**DISCLAIMER: InuYasha is not mine *sad face* but Sesshoumaru is! Bwahahahahaaah!! *coughs and looks around nervously* Okay, maybe not…**

* * *

**I COULD WALK FOREVER**

**- Kumo -**

She remained still, allowing the river to rush over her slender figure. Only her head and shoulders floated above the surface. Her hair splayed around her like a dark cloud and her eyes slowly fell shut. The water began to form a whirlpool along her body. Her fingers twitched impatiently. She rose to her knees as if she were merely a puppet on strings. He watched as she dipped her hands into the river and worked her unique magic. There was suddenly a very solid looking orb in her grasp. She released her creation and sent it soaring into the surrounding trees.

Sesshoumaru had to side step her attack or risk being struck. At that moment he thought she had seen him, but then again, no. She had always been too oblivious for her own good, too _human_. He stood silently in the shadow of naked trees, a gift bestowed upon him by the Night. He studied the creature before him. It had been fifty long years since he had seen her. _Amaya_. She smiled wickedly, triumphantly, beautifully. Kicking up a spray of droplets, she sent them shooting towards the opposite bank with a wave of her arm. Her laugh stilled his heart.

A mix of emotions wreaked havoc deep within him; anger, elation, anxiety and something else he refused to admit to himself. He longed to reveal his presence to her but uncertainty kept his feet rooted to the ground. Surely if he stepped out of his hidden place she would either try to fight him, in which he would defeat her, or she would flee in fear. After their last encounter many seasons prior, he would expect nothing different from her reaction. He wished for neither so he stayed out of sight, stalking her with his amber eyes and committing her every move to his perfect memory.

Amaya threw her arms into the air, twisting her hands at the wrist. She rocked her hips slowly from side to side. Her face glowed in the pale moonlight, a sweet smile dancing across her lips. She moved her body in a way that was both playful and seductive. She ran her fingers through her long hair and shook it into the wind. Sesshoumaru looked on in a daze. He could smell her intoxicating scent as if he had been standing beside her; it made his blood boil.

He clenched his fist in frustration. Though his expression remained impassive as ever, he was slowly coming undone from the inside out. His jaw tightened on instinct. He would not allow over a century's worth of self-control to be pushed aside by a figure from his past. No matter who she had been then, she was nothing to him now. He gazed at her for a long moment before forcing himself to turn away. She infuriated him. He loathed her existence. He had missed her more than words could ever say.

Sesshoumaru took flight, ascending gracefully over the treetops. While he would never look back, he allowed himself a very brief smile; whether he agreed to it or not she would forever have his heart.

* * *

Rin chewed her fish thoroughly, carefully; her eyes never left the face of the strange demon. The latter was staring into the trees, her green eyes darting around in a nervous fashion. Rin took another bite, burning her tongue. A hiss of pain escaped her lips. The demon looked her way from the corner of one eye and shaped her mouth into a tiny 'o,' blowing softly. Rin felt a very slight breeze hit her face. "Try it now," The demon turned her attention back to the quiet woods. After a moment's hesitation Rin nipped at the fish, finding it to be at an almost perfect temperature for eating. She dove in hungrily, her concentration reduced to filling her empty stomach.

After finishing the first one, Rin reached for another. Pulling the stick from the ground, she stopped. Should she offer one to the demon? After all, she had been the one to catch them. Leaning forward, Rin held out her offering of thanks. She looked on in silence, noticing the demon's eyes were hard. She saw her jaw draw back on itself. A terrible scrapping nose met Rin's ears and she cringed. The demon was visibly frustrated so Rin decided to back off. Rolling back onto her heels, Rin tried to sit down but fell over. She lost her grip on the fish and dropped it into the fire, the flames devouring it and shooting up violently.

The demon's head snapped so quickly in her direction that Rin jumped. "You're only human… only human." The demon rose to her feet and stared down at Rin. "Why does he keep you?" Her eyes flashed dangerously. She took a few clumsy steps toward Rin's cowering form. "I don't understand…" Rin scrambled to her feet and backed away slowly, shaking with fear. Her trusting mind was racing; she thought this demon was good like her Lord. She had saved her… Jaken came rushing toward them, waving his Staff in the air. He brought it down swiftly only to have the demon catch it easily in one hand. She took it from Jaken and batted him away, sending him flying into a tree. She tossed the Staff down lazily, never peeling her eyes away from the girl. Rin gasped; the demon's once beautiful eyes were now black as Night. Her scream never left her lungs as the demon lunged at her.

* * *

"Oh no, Kagome! The last of the ninja snacks are gone!" Shippo cried out as he proceeded to wave an empty bag of potato chips in the air.

"Don't worry, Shippo, I'll pack extra next time just for you." Kagome had her face hidden behind a thick blue book. She was sitting up against a large boulder, her bare legs crossed at the ankle.

"Yeah, and not for stinking Inuyasha!" Shippo tossed the bag down and stretched out on the grass beside Kagome, who was looking more frazzled by the minute. Miroku sat a few feet away, his legs crossed and hands tucked into the sleeves of his robes. His head was tilted back toward the sun, eyes closed.

"Where exactly did he run off to?" He mused.

"Who knows," Kagome mumbled. She turned a few pages and let out an exasperated sigh. Sango was polishing her Hiraikotsu, balancing a sleeping Kirara in her lap. She glanced at Kagome before turning back to her work. The group sat in content silence, allowing sun to wash over them as it warmed the air. A short rest had been much needed but Inuyasha wouldn't hear a word of it. After mumbling something about 'weak humans' and '_always_ wanna stop when the weather's nice,' he bound off into the trees, huffing impatiently. No one had thought to worry about him or his destination. They all knew he could more than take care of himself and they hadn't sensed Naraku in days. Snapping her book shut with a sharp 'snap', Kagome set it down and shook her head. "I'll never understand this!"

In the forest to the South, Inuyasha sat perched atop the highest branch of the tallest tree. His red attire contrasted visibly with the light gray sky and dark wood. His arms were crossed over his chest, a pout on his otherwise blank face. He rested his head against the bark, breathing slowly. The morning just didn't feel right. There was something in the air, some strange force that had set him on edge. It's not like he could tell the others. He'd watched his friends' reactions for any sign that they felt it too but when all they wanted was to relax and enjoy the sun, he had gone off on his own to sort it all out.

Too bad he still couldn't place it, whatever _it_ even was. He closed his eyes. His foot tapped restlessly against the branch. His mind absently went to Kagome and how she was so intent on fighting these 'exams' all by herself. He'd offered to use his Tesusaiga to get rid of any and all of them, but she had merely rejected him and jumped down the Bone Eater's Well to her own time. Now that she was back, she had her face constantly buried in those strange books of hers. It's not that he minded, he just wanted to help. After all, if it hadn't been for her, he'd probably still be pinned to that tree by Kikyo's arrow…

There it was again, Kikyo and Kagome, Kagome and Kikyo. It seemed like no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't think about one without the other somehow coming up. He knew that they weren't the same person, he'd learned that lesson, but it was almost impossible to avoid comparing them. Kikyo had been a mystery in the way she would never fight him and then became his beacon of hope for normality once they'd shared their love. Now she wasn't the same. The newly reincarnated version of Kikyo was sad and vengeful toward him; they could never rekindle their short-lived romance. Kagome was someone who completely baffled Inuyasha. One minute she was strong and determined; the next crying, screaming or commanding him to 'sit.' He would go to any length to keep her safe but she drove him to his wit's end. Both women were enough to make his hanyou head spin.

The wind picked up, bringing with it the scent of flowers and rain. Inuyasha looked to the sky. The sun was hidden behind wispy silver clouds. He sniffed the air; there was no hint of a coming storm. Gingerly rising to his feet, Inuyasha dropped down to the ground below. He padded through the forest, following his nose. The woods were quiet, almost eerily so. He hadn't noticed the lack of activity and was now starting to think that something was up, maybe that same something that was bothering him earlier. He could smell it again, stronger now, closer. There was something so familiar about that scent, if he could only – _Plum blossoms_. The realization hit him like a fist to the face.

He stopped dead in his tracks, looking pointedly to the left. There was a human village up ahead, after that another small human settlement, probably a hut. After another stretch of forest he could smell a river. That was where the scent was coming from. The wheels in his head turning, Inuyasha changed his path and headed in that direction. He kicked off into a run. Plum blossoms? He surely wasn't some practiced gardener, but wasn't it still a little too early for them to be blooming? Unless… Unless the smell wasn't coming from actual flowers at all.

Inuyasha raced on. This was far too peculiar for his liking. If it turned out to be nothing, he would simply head back to his friends and stop complaining about their constant need to rest. If this smell turned out to be what he thought it was, what he almost hoped, then he would need to rethink everything. Kikyo had been the first human besides his mother that Inuyasha trusted, but she was not the original person in which he gave his confidence. He picked up his pace, nearly flying through the trees, as he remembered the first time they had met, when she saved him, that girl from so long ago…

_He had hidden beneath the jutting edge of a cliff, curled into himself and gripping the stone so that his knuckles showed the bones through the skin. He was panting madly. He heard the demons calling out to him, suggesting to one another that he had toppled over the edge and fallen to his death. After a long, anxiety-filled moment the group gave up and returned to the forest. Inuyasha listened for any sign that it might be a trick. When the world around him grew silent he slowly released his grip and began to climb his way back to the surface. He dug his tiny claws into the dirt, kicking up. Once he had his feet securely on the ground, he took off in the opposite direction he had come._

_He darted through the trees as fast as his legs would carry him, constantly looking over his shoulder for the demons' return. He didn't know where he was going. All he wanted was to get as far away from the woods as possible and to somewhere safe for the night. He turned sharply to the left and nearly lost his footing. He felt as if he'd been running for hours. The sunlight that guided his way was quickly fading, leaving him alone in the shadows. As he was about to give up and climb into a tree, he heard it; the babble of a river. A moment later he pushed past the last of the branches and stepped out into a clearing. The river before him was clear and flowing swiftly; his mother had taught him that meant it was safe to drink. Falling to his knees on the riverbank, he leaned over and scooped up a handful of water. He drank greedily, the cold liquid burning and soothing his aching throat. Reaching in again, Inuyasha drew back and gasped. There was a face in the water, and it wasn't his._

_Inuyasha leaned forward cautiously. There before him, where his own reflection should be, was that of a girl. She didn't look dangerous, so he didn't run. Her hair was dark and spilled all around her. She gazed up innocently at him and he simply stared back, awestruck. Slowly, so slowly, he reached out a finger to the surface of the river, locking eyes with this strange illusion. The pad of his finger touched the water and sent ripples circling around it. The girl's image laughed and she slowly began to fade away. Inuyasha leaned back on his heels, confusion wracking his brain. The water under his finger had been warm. Hadn't it been freezing just a moment ago? He wrapped his arms around his knees and searched the now smooth surface. His own face stared intently back at him. What _was_ that?_

_He didn't have time to think up an answer. "Sssss, what'sss thisssss?" A voice called out from behind him. Inuyasha whipped around, on his feet and facing the intruder. His eyes rolled back and head tilted up as he looked into the face of a giant snake demon. Fear gripped him. "Sssuch a tasssssty treat." The demon began to slither forward at a painstakingly slow pace. Inuyasha clenched his jaw and took a step back. The demon shifted to the left. "Ssssss," Its long pink tongue slipped out of its mouth, tasting Inuyasha through the air. "Oh yesss, you will be quite delicioussssss ." Its large body moved to the right, scales glinting in the fading sun, its head positioned directly above Inuyasha._

_Making up a resolution to run for it, Inuyasha took another step back and found himself standing in the shallow end of the river. He looked down at the water at his feet, shifting his attention back to the snake just in time to see it attack. The demon's head came forward and Inuyasha barely dodged it, jumping further back into the water. The snake demon hissed a laugh. "There'sss no where to ssscurry off to." It was true; Inuyasha was standing in water almost up to his waist. The demon moved around on shore, trying to get close without having to leave dry land. Panicking, Inuyasha almost wanted to ignore the flash of yellow that caught his eye just below him. The snake lashed out again and Inuyasha ducked. Before he could draw back, Inuyasha struck at the snake, clawing at one of its yellow eyes. The snake cried out in pain, whipping his head back. Just then, something in the water grabbed Inuyasha._

_He yelped and looked down, now being momentarily ignored by the hungry demon. It was the reflection of the same girl. She smiled cheekily and winked before disappearing again. Inuyasha was more than confused. He looked back at the snake, which was now coming to his senses and reclaiming Inuyasha as his target. He turned to run but felt a hand gripping his ankle, rooting him to the spot. With a fierce cry, the snake lunged at Inuyasha with the entire length of him. Before he could scream, the river exploded around Inuyasha. Walls of water were sent soaring overhead, the muddy riverbed at his feet becoming visible. Twisting and transforming, the water almost appeared solid as it went crashing onto the shore, completely surrounding the snake demon. Inuyasha could hear his tormented shouts and fought the urge to cover his sensitive ears. After what felt like the shortest eternity, the water fell back into the river as a child returns home to its mother's call leaving nothing behind except for a few scattered puddle on the ground. The snake demon was gone._

_Inuyasha immediately took the opportunity to escape. He pushed himself in the opposite direction and crawled onto the bank. Not risking another second, he was about to dart back into the trees when he heard a laugh. A girl's laugh. Glancing slowly over his shoulder, he saw her. She stood about two heads taller than him, her dark hair falling straight around her shoulders. Her kimono was yellow and plain, no designs or patterns, and was held with an orange obi. A long black cloak was draped around her. Her face was young, her mouth set in the tiniest of smiles. She smelt of flowers. This was the girl in the river, no mistake. Inuyasha stood entranced; she was completely dry. When the girl took a step forward, he didn't move. Her smile broadened. It took another step, and then another, before she was at a comfortably safe distance from him. Inuyasha knew he should run, that he couldn't trust anyone, but there was something that kept him from doing so._

_Reaching up to her throat, the girl unclasped her cloak. She swung it over her shoulders and held it out in front of her like a curtain. She moved even closer. His mind automatically assuming that she was trying to capture him, Inuyasha backed away hurriedly, tripping over a tree root and falling on his behind. The girl laughed again. The sound wasn't cruel, but friendly and sweet. She slid onto her knees and shuffled closer to him. He made to retreat but she held out a hand to stop him. "It's alright. I won't hurt you." She waited, her hand remaining in the air. Inuyasha couldn't take his eyes off hers. He had just noticed their coloring. Taking his stillness as a sign of trust, she started again. Stopping beside him, the girl wrapped her cloak around him like a cloth cocoon and pinned it closed. Inuyasha was still staring at her. She was different. He could sense it and for some reason it made him feel better._

"_My name is Amaya."_

* * *

It was so cold. The sun pressed down upon my back with a weight that made me feel weak; there was no warmth in its touch. My clothes hung snuggly around my body, sticky and wet. I leaned forward and rested my chin down on my bent knees, circling my arms tighter around me. The smell of fish and soggy cloth overwhelmed my senses. A droplet of water fell onto my nose. I looked up, checking for rainfall against the backdrop of a gray sky, but there was none. Returning my chin to my knees, I felt it again. I tilted my head downward, giving it a quick shake and watching as drip after drip fell upon my damp kimono. The water was coming from my hair.

Something was very, very wrong. I should have emerged from the river as dry as if I'd never stepped foot there in the first place. Thinking back, I realized I hadn't been. Now, almost an hour later, I sat in front of a fire still dripping like a – well, like a human. I could feel the brisk air on my neck and shoulders. A shiver ran along the length of my spine. This was something I had never experienced before. Water made me stronger; all I felt now was weakness. I clenched my fists. The skin of my hands was slimy and wrinkled. I grabbed a crop of my hair and rung it out over my shoulder. Droplets poured from my hands but dissolved before they hit the ground. What is this? Panic built up in my chest. This could not be right; I had to figure this out, fix what was wrong, I had to – _Kill the girl_.

I froze. My entire body went rigid. I felt the utmost compulsion to rip the innocent child beside me into shreds. I regained control after a mere instant of loss. My eyes raked the forest, deciphering shadows. The mid-morning sun was now hidden but there was enough light to see that there was no one else around. _But that voice…_ Those deep demanding words had nearly made me hand over the power to my actions. My mind was filled with a fog that I could not subdue. Cold crawled through my skin, its prickly claws digging in and holding on. I narrowed my eyes, searching the trees for answers.

A gasp beside me ripped me from my thoughts. The girl had burnt her tongue. Poor thing. I blew gently in her direction, knowing the breeze I created would be enough to cool the temperature of her meal. "Try it now," I whispered, the words scorching my throat. My ears throbbed and my stomach began to churn. I furrowed my brow, willing everything away. I closed my eyes, pressing my lids together tightly. The pain in my middle expanded, shooting waves of unbearable tightness throughout my body. I remained perfectly immobile; I don't think I would have been able to move even if I had wanted to. It felt as if someone were drawing their nails over my insides, pressing their fingers into my brain. I ground my teeth together to keep from uttering a sound. Above all this, I refused to frighten the girl.

_Why not? She's only human._ The voice echoed in my head, its words making more sense each time around. _Kill her._ No, I couldn't. She's so innocent. Suddenly my mind burned with a heat I'd not known before and my vision clouded. Flames shot up beside me and my last cohesive though was that I was on fire. My neck twitched violently and my head had no choice but to follow. _She's only human… only human._ I was losing control of my body, my muscles going slack. I didn't notice that I had repeated the voice's words aloud. _Do as I say._ No. She's only a child. She's… Sesshoumaru's. Pain ripped through me and I was forced to unfold myself from the ground, my legs quivering as I stood. My body ached; the blood was hot in my veins. _Yes, she is indeed Lord Sesshoumaru's whelp, but why does he keep her?_ My blind eyes locked onto the girl. Though I could not see the look of terror in her eyes, the sound of her heart beat in my ears with a terrible melody; it was a sound of desperation.

I struggled to regain the use of my body, the power within too strong to disobey. "Why does he keep you?" My mouth was moving, the sound of my voice now dark and dripping with violence. _Take her life, and by doing so, take revenge upon Lord Sesshoumaru_. I was moving forward, being pushed by a force I could not withstand. Revenge? For what reason would I wish to take revenge upon Sesshoumaru? _Sesshoumaru wished to kill you. Unleash your bitterness and anger on the girl. Kill her!_ I stumbled toward the girl, stopping short of falling on top of her. "I don't understand…" I felt empty, as if all my innermost thoughts were being drained from me, as if my very life was being stolen away. And then I could think no more.

My body moved on instinct, every movement precise and controlled. I quickly snatched the imp's Staff away as he charged me. With an easy swing I sent him away, impaling his tiny head on whichever tree he met first and rendering him unconscious. My fingers uncurled from the Staff, letting it fall to the ground. The world around me had fallen into shadow. Darkness consumed me. Before I could even come to terms with what was happening, I had thrown myself at the girl, knocking her tiny frame to the ground. With one hand I covered her mouth, the other snaking its way around her soft throat. _Just a flick of the wrist and her neck will be snap. That's all it takes._ My grip tightened slowly, her body shaking beneath me. I could not move my body at will, but I could still feel the pain of her teeth digging into the palm of my hand. I pulled my hand back, distracted, and received a quick kick to the stomach with more force than I would have expected from the girl.

She pushed herself out from under me, crawling hastily to the imp's side. She shook him, crying out, but her words made no sense to me. I floated to my feet. My toes barely touched the ground as I made my way over to her, moving as silently as the clouds overhead. I swiftly grabbed the back of her kimono, extending my arm so that she dangled in front of my face. She was so close. I could smell her, but I could not see her, could not read the expression of horror in her eyes. My hand reached out and cupped her cheek. It was so warm in my palm. I wove my fingers into her hair, pulling her head aside and exposing her neck. The smell of her fear sent me over the edge and I knew then that I would not be satisfied unless I sunk my fangs into her silky flesh and drained her of all her life's blood. I dove in, fangs bared and ready to devour her. The girl's scream was shrill enough to wake the dead. I was unable to fulfill my desire; it was not her plea that halted my actions but the point of a blade pressed firmly against my throat.

* * *

**Soooooooooo, what'd you think? I know this chapter is a lot shorter than the last two, but I made a promise to have something out by April and this is waaay overdue. I'm sorry! I know, I know, it's already mid-March, but this chapter was actually really difficult to write. I hope y'all could understand it, because it made sense in my head but who knows? Now that I've gotten this far, the next chappy will have some 'splaining to do.**

**Thank you for everyone who has read and reviewed! I'm really going to try my darndest to get the next installment out pronto. For those who read and seem to have trouble clicking the link at the bottom of the page (which is really quite simple…), I want to say thanks for at least taking the time to get lost in my story with me (:**

**Fingers crossed that my writer's block doesn't come back!!**

**PeaceEasy,  
****Dee**

**(Oh, and I also apologize for any typos or freaky grammar mistakes. Which reminds me, would anyone like to do a little volunteer proof-reading for the upcoming chapters?)**


	4. Itami

**DISCLAIMER: You know the drill ;)**

**I COULD WALK FOREVER**

– **Itami –**

Pain. There was so much pain. The muscles in my left arm screamed and writhed in agony, trying desperately to dispel the foreign metal from beneath my skin. Heat rushed to the surface of my wound, a stream of red life pouring freely and staining the sleeve of my kimono a grotesque orange. I stepped back clumsily away from my opponent but he followed my every move, driving his sword deeper into my flesh. My throat constricted, holding back the cry that was scratching at my tongue. My pulse beat out of time with the rest of my body, the steady drumming becoming frantic and wild. The world around me was draped thickly in shadow. My heart raced. A flash of silver played before my eyes, accompanied by the bite of steel.

I pushed against my opponent's blade, slicing the palm of my hand, and sidestepped to the right; he moved to his left and struck again. I ducked, he swung. I jumped, he pursued. My body grew weary, my skin sticky with blood and sweat. The hilt of his sword came down with incredible force against my occipital and sent me sprawling onto the ground, a cloud of dirt erupting beneath me and covering my face in a layer of grime. I fought to catch my breath, inhaling the dust on my lips. I opened my eyes slowly to the surrounding fog, able to see for the first time where I was.

The clearing was the same, as was the river. Broken tree branches were scattered amongst the ground. A once proud oak had fallen, the smooth cut low in its trunk still smoking faintly. The sky was mockingly blue and cloudless. My opponent was beautiful as always, flawless in his careful perfection. The girl and the imp were gone. I blinked again, trying to clear the mist forming in front of my eyes, to no avail. _Give in_. I desperately wanted to sleep, to rest my head upon the earth and slumber for a thousand years. I laced my fingers into the sparse grass and struggled onto my knees.

His melodically deep voice caressed my ears. "Haven't you had enough?"

_Give in_. I remained low to the ground, taking in every ounce of pain and centering it, concentrating. My arm, my stomach, my face, my neck, my back; letting the blood flow and drip, allowing my skin to crawl and throb. I fought off the urge to apply pressure to my wounds, to retreat and recover. I waited. _Just let go_. My veins were filled with acid, burning and eating my body from the inside out. A blinding white light exploded before my eyes and a fierce pain clawed at the inside of my head. _Let_... My body ached intensely, my insides twisting into knots; I closed my eyes and bit down on my bottom lip, tasting the metallic warmth of blood. _Go_... It was getting harder to breathe, my lungs growing heavy, my throat restricting airflow. I panted like a beast after the hunt, only this time I was the prey. _Give in to ME!_ The darkness descended.

"No!" I forced myself onto my feet and lunged at Sesshoumaru, making his stoic face my target. I swiped at him with my nails. He caught my hand and pushed me away. I stumbled back, nearly falling. I attacked again. With every advance he merely shoved me from him, no longer striking me with his claws or using his sword. Anger pulsed in my veins. "Hit me." I lunged at his throat with my hands extended, grabbing onto the collar of his pristine white kimono. "Hit me!" I cocked back my arm to strike him, unsuccessful in my attempt. He wrapped his slender fingers around my neck and slammed me into the ground. I heard the crack of my head hitting stone rather than feeling it. I leapt to my feet, standing unsteadily before my adversary. My knees quivered as my head reeled with dizziness. The hand I reached up to my head was coated with fresh blood when I pulled it away. Watching as the crimson gore created intricate shapes against my palette of ashen skin, examining the pale blue of my veins beneath the surface, I suddenly knew.

"Again."

Sesshoumaru stood steadfast. He stared at me with lifeless amber eyes, his intimidating presence caught in momentary indecision. Then the back of his hand met with my cheek. My head spun with the force of his blow. Colors swirled before my eyes, the world coming to life in shades of green and blue and brown. The ringing in my ears ceased and was replaced by birdsong and the sound of wind dancing through the trees. I breathed the crisp air. My soul danced. "I am free."

I dared a step toward the Lord of the West on awkward feet, locking my eyes with his, hesitating for the briefest moment. He stared down at me, hands resting at his sides. His appearance was immaculate; not a single strand of silver hair was out of place even after battle, as minimal as it was. I bowed before him, bending slightly at the waist. When I rose, his demeanor remained impassive. With a small smile, I looked to the sky. A soft breeze caressed my face and tangled itself in my dark locks. I smelt of blood and dirt, but the faint scent of something else lingered in the air, reminding me. "I meant no harm toward to the little girl. I was… not well." I met his eyes one last time, hoping for a sign of change, but not disappointed when I didn't find one. I turned and walked away.

The wind pushed at my back, guiding me into the trees. I fought against the urge to look over my shoulder and catch one last glimpse of my merciful foe. As much as my heart ached to look upon him, I knew there was something else that had to be dealt with, something much more important than grieving over a man who would not love me back.

_What happened to me?_

Never before had I been so powerless, and in my own body no less. I halted my steps and held my hands up to the sunlight. There was dirt caked underneath my fingernails. I could still smell the human girl's sweat on my skin. I curled my hands into fists and held them tightly to my chest. I inhaled sharply. _The old man… The river… The little girl… Nothing._ It didn't make sense. I quickly mulled over every possible explanation without success in finding one that seemed remotely plausible. My mind grew hazy with each additional thought, all which lead me nowhere.

A crackling noise drew me back into the present. I turned toward the sound and saw nothing but naked trees and soft shadows. The area was strangely quiet now, devoid of chirping insects and scuttling creatures. I scanned my surroundings with careful eyes. Something was amiss but by the time I figured it out, it was too late.

Immense pain ripped through my middle, paralyzing me where I stood. I slowly craned my neck down towards my abdomen only to see what I had already suspected. A glowing green hand protruded from my chest, its slender fingers coated in my blood. A cold shiver ran through me. "Sesshou-" His body was pressed closely against mine, his powerful aura enveloping me. I trembled uncontrollably as my knees buckled, sending me plummeting to the ground. Sesshoumaru followed me down, kneeling behind my crumpled form, his clawed hand still embedded within my ribcage. Blood and bile spilled out form the corner of my mouth. I could feel the vomit bubbling in my throat. "Sess-" My newly renewed world of light was quickly growing dim.

The Lord of the West remained still, his body rigid against mine. I could faintly feel the steady beat of his heart against my back. Slowly, almost tenderly, he leaned forward and pressed his nose into the dip below my ear. "Sess-"

"Be silent." He quickly withdrew his hand, a wave of blood following with a sickening squelch. He snaked his arm around my waist and propped me upright against him. His poison burned away my flesh leaving a gaping, irreparable hole in my stomach. I opened my mouth to speak one last time, blood staining my teeth and tongue, no words escaping. I barely recognized the sensation of his lips softly grazing the line of my jaw. I convulsed, choking and sputtering, squeezing my eyelids shut against the agony and unsympathetic fulgent patterns of sunlight. _At least he is with me at the end_. A rueful smile graced my lips as I let obscurity take me. "Haunt me no longer." Sesshoumaru loosened his grip and allowed me to fall the short distance to the ground. My body hadn't enough time to collide with the earth before consciousness escaped me.

* * *

Inuyasha stared down at her broken and bloodied form, her peaceful face covered in dirt and blood. Her dark hair splayed around her face and shoulders in knots. The patch of earth she lay on was visibly darker than the rest, giving the impression that she was sleeping in shadow. One of her arms was turned at an awkward angle. Her unforgettable green eyes remained open and unseeing.

The hanyou continued to gape at the corpse of the young woman. Shock slowed his thought process and made it difficult for him to focus. When he had caught that strange scent on the air, he had thought... He had though she would be _alive_. Grief tugged on his insides and soon he found himself on his knees beside her damaged body. "Amaya." A sudden gust sent the ends of her hair fluttering wildly and caused her kimono skirt to billow and push up past her knees. He reached out and tenderly pulled the fabric down to her ankles. His hand shook as it brushed her cold skin.

Inuyasha took a deep breath and was instantly infuriated by what he smelt. _Sesshoumaru_. His half-brother's scent was all over Amaya, overpowering her naturally saccharine aura. Anger flooded his veins and Inuyasha punched the ground beside her. "Dammit!" He repeatedly struck the ground until his knuckles began to bleed. "Dammit, dammit, DAMMIT!" He panted, frustrated, and focused his attention on the strange red mark around Amaya's mangled wrist. The skin there was chapped and raw but no wider than the width of his smallest finger.

Within a few seconds his anger had returned and he vowed revenge upon Sesshoumaru, as if he needed more of a reason to hate his older sibling. Sweeping the pads of his fingers gently over her eyelids, Inuyasha closed Amaya's eyes for the last time. "He won't get away with this 'May. I promise." He stroked her pale cheek with his knuckle. A peculiar feeling was welling up inside of him and Inuyasha was unsure of what to do. Before he had time to decide, someone called his name.

"Inuyaaashaaa!" It was Kagome.

He rose slowly to his feet. With one last look and a final, silent farewell, Inuyasha darted off into the trees.

The time it took getting back to his companions seemed much shorter than the amount it had taken to venture away from them. He ignored their questioning glances and headed to the front of the group, walking at a pace that would keep his human friends at a fair distance without letting them fall too far behind. He led them down a winding dirt road that cut through a grove of trees. Inuyasha focused on the stones in the road, on the wind ruffling his bangs, anything to keep the memory of unseeing green eyes out of his mind.

"I wonder what's bothering Inuyasha."

"Perhaps he's still upset that we ignored him earlier?"

"Maybe, but I don't think that's it."

"He's just being a big baby."

Inuyasha stopped and turned his head toward the group. "Why don't you just mind your own business for once?" He then promptly continued walking on ahead, his pace noticeably quicker than before.

_Inuyasha continued to climb, jumping from one limb to another until he was half way to the top of a great oak. He turned and looked down at the river, at Amaya. Her dark hair shined in the afternoon sun. She was wading in the river, casting the water about at will. The skirt of her kimono floated around her calves and swayed with the ebb and flow of the light current. Inuyasha stepped forward, using the arches of his bare feet to keep balance._

"_Be careful, Little Inu."_

_Inuyahsa folded his arms across his chest and looked to the sky. "I don't need to be careful, I –" Then the tree branch snapped. One moment he was sent tumbling through the air and the next he was floating in a pool of water. He kicked and gasped and before he even knew what happened, he was sitting on the shore, his clothing soaked and clinging to his adolescent frame. He pushed the hair from his face and met the eyes of his rescuer, pouting._

"_What was that for?"_

"_What was what for?" Amaya arched her eyebrow and smirked at him quizzically._

"_Getting me all wet!"_

"_You really should be more careful."_

_Inuyasha rose to his feet and brushed of his hakama, using his hair to shield his face and the blush spreading across his cheeks. He could feel Amaya's gaze on him, but the feeling wasn't unpleasant. He straightened and glanced at her, opening his mouth to speak but closing it again. Expressing gratitude wasn't something that came easy to him. He opened his mouth again, but Amaya cut him off._

"_Are you hungry?" She smiled at him knowingly and Inuyasha was sure she had heard his unspoken 'thank you.'_

_He shook his head and watched as she created waist-high waves in the river and then sent them crashing into each other. "You know what, 'May?"_

"_Hmm?" She curled a torrent of water around her finger._

"_When I'm big, I bet I'll have to keep you out of trouble all the time. I'm gonna be the one who has to protect _you._" Inuyasha kicked at a stone and watched as it disappeared beneath the surface of the river with a small splash._

"_Of course you will, my brave Inuyasha."_

But he hadn't protected her. Inuyasha clenched his fists, his claws biting into the soft skin of his palms.

He had been too late.

* * *

Somehow, the world knew she was gone. The sound of grass had turned mournful and the trees bent and swayed under the weight of their sorrow. Nature's vibrant colors grew dull until they no longer held any splendor. The careful breeze he had once thought to be soothing had become a whining annoyance. The blue sky above held no warmth. The sun glared accusingly down at him and Sesshoumaru frowned back.

He stood amidst a field of death and decay and the only thing on his mind was the feeling of Amaya pressed against him. He had taken the time to wash the blood off of himself in the river before returning to his companions, but the water had only reminded him further of the woman who's life he had so recently ended. Her scent still clung to him and every time he inhaled, he fought the urge to scream.

A gentle thud behind him signaled AhUn's decent. He didn't turn to face the beast when he heard a sharp intake of breath. "Close your eyes, Rin."

"Okay!" Sesshoumaru heard her clap her hands over her face to shut out the horrific scene around them. They had landed in the only clearing amongst hundreds of mangled human bodies. Dried blood stained the earth. Patches of fire danced along the remnants of buildings. He knew at once that this was not the outcome of a pathetic human attack. Sesshoumaru scanned the area carefully and noticed that aside from the smell of smoke and decaying human flesh, there was nothing. The scent of earth and life had been completely eradicated from this spot.

He took a step forward and a sickening crunch made him look down. He had stepped on the hand of a girl child, one much younger than Rin. Her tiny body was bent in an unnatural shape and the half of her face closest to Sesshoumaru was scorched to blackness. A peculiar sensation swelled in his gut and he forced himself to look away. "Jaken."

"Yes, m'lord?" The imp jumped to attention on AhUn's back, peering in between the beast's large, scaly heads.

"Take Rin away from here."

"Of course, m'lord, right away." Jaken reached forward and grabbed AhUn's reins. "Let's go, Rin, we're leaving!"

"What about you, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin's voice was filled with childish concern.

"Do not question Lord Sesshoumaru's commands, you silly girl! He will do as he pleases!" Sesshoumaru closed his eyes against the shrillness of Jaken's voice and the growing impatience he felt toward the imp. Rin's farewell was cut off by the sound of Ah-Un's lift off. Sesshoumaru remained stationary and listened until he decided they were far enough from the scene.

"Show yourself," he spoke, his deep voice no louder than if he were speaking to someone directly in front of him. "Naraku." From behind a cloud of smoke, a figure appeared. The creature was a hand's length shorter than Sesshoumaru and twice his girth. The head that sat atop the creature's shoulders was clearly human, its skin the color of rotting meat, but the body appeared to be a mixture of different demons. Its bottom half was similar to a horse demon with the tail of a scorpion and the abdomen of a spider demon. It stared at Sesshoumaru through its one red eye, the other having a large scar over it. After a long moment of silence, the creature smiled.

"You must be Lord Sesshoumaru, hmmm?"

Sesshoumaru's face remained stoic as he sized up the strange creature before him. The demon's aura smelt distinctly of Naraku. "Who are you?"

"Hmm, yes, I am Mikkusushiai. Of course, my name does not matter. Hmmm, oh no, not at all." Mikkusushiai walked slowly forward, his curved tail rising behind him. "I know you, Sesshoumaru, oh yes, I do, I do." The demon slowly began to circle Sesshoumaru, his eye never abandoning target. His footfalls were completely silent as if he were floating above the ground. "He has told me all about you, yes he has, and I am ready. Hmmm, oh yes, I am prepared."

"You speak of Naraku?" Sesshoumaru called out over the demon's incessant rambling.

"Naraku? Yes, yes, yes. Naraku was his name. He was the one who made me. Hmmm, yes, he created me and filled me with such power, power I will use to destroy, oh yes." Mikkusushiai stopped in front of Sesshoumaru and smiled, revealing jagged teeth. "Power I will use to destroy you, Sesshoumaru, for that was his request."

Mikkusushiai lunged at Sesshoumaru, his eight spindly arms stretching out to wrap around Sesshoumaru's back. Sesshoumaru leapt into the air and planted a kick to the side of Mikkusushiai's face, sending the lesser demon stumbling backward. Sesshoumaru unsheathed Tokijin and slashed at his opponent, successfully releaving Mikkusushiai of four of his arms. The demon howled in pain and retreated back a number of paces.

"How dare you! Oh yes, you will pay for what you have done to me!" Mikkusushiai's face raged with anger. Sesshoumaru watched the creature, expecting a return attack, but was surprised when he instead began to laugh. "You will never win. Oh, never never never."

Sesshoumaru stepped forward and raised his sword. "You are sorely mistaken." He swung Tokijin at Mikkusushiai, striking him in the abdomen. A sickly green goo spurted from the opening just below his pectoral. Mikkusushiai only laughed harder.

"Hmmm, it is _you_ who are sorely mistaken, Sesshoumaru, oh yes." His laugh turned into a maniacal cackle. "He has what you want, yes, he does, and you will never get it back." Mikkusushiai rushed Sesshoumaru and his attack was quickly blocked. Sesshoumaru ran Mikkusushiai through with his sword and pushed him back into a smoldering tree trunk, pinning him against it.

"What does Naraku have that I could possibly want?"

"He has taken something of yours, hmmmm," the creature gasped. The same green bile was now dripping out of the corner of his mouth. "Oh, oh yes, and now… now she is under his control. You will never get her back. Hmmmmmm, oh yes." His red eye was rolling around wildly in its socket, no longer focusing on the face of his adversary. "She is his treasure now." Growing impatient, Sesshoumaru removed his sword from Mikkusushiai's gut and slit the laughing demon's throat. He stepped back from his foe and walked away, not staying to watch as Mikkusushiai met his end.

Sesshoumaru sheathed Tokijin and raised his face to the sky. A cloud of energy formed at his feet and he soared upward, following the invisible path that he knew would lead him to his companions. While he appeared calm, he was traveling mush faster than he normally would have. Mikkusushiai has said 'she' and that could only mean one person. Rin. If Jaken had let anything happen to his ward yet again, there would be hell to pay.

* * *

**Okay, so… Not the best chapter I've ever written, but I had to pick up the story somewhere, somehow. I'm terribly sorry about the huge gap in between updates, and I can't thank everyone enough who reviewed or added ICWF to your story alerts. It really means a lot.**

**I'm working on kicking my motivation back into shape and, I won't make any promises but, I'm absolutely going to try to post the next chappie this month. I have a really good idea of where I want this story to go, but I'm having a much harder time getting everything out onto paper, urm, Microsoft Word ;)**

**Thanks again, and please review! You have no idea how much of a boost it is to read what you have to say (:**

**PeaceEasy,**

**Dee**


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